1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coaxial cable, and more particularly to a coaxial cable having a coupler easily attached to the cable without additional fasteners or tool members.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various kinds of typical coaxial cables have been developed for coupling television facilities, computer facilities or the like to aerial antenna members, or the like, and comprise a plug member or a coupler member attached to one end of the cable member for coupling to either the television facilities, the computer facilities or the aerial antenna members, or the like.
Normally, the coupler members or the plug members comprise a ring-shaped element to be pressed and secured onto the cable member by pliers devices or the like, or by additional fasteners and/or tool members. Accordingly, the users or the workers have to carry a lot of fasteners and tool members for attaching the plug members onto the ends of the cable members.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,411 to Yu discloses one of the typical coaxial cables including a hollow metal tube, a plug member and a plastic protective sleeve to be secured onto one end of the cable member. Similarly, the coupler members or the plug members are required to be compressed and secured onto the cable member by additional fasteners and/or tool members. It is difficult for the non-skillful users to attach or secure the coupler members or the plug members onto the cable member by themselves.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional coaxial cables.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a coaxial cable including a coupler to be easily and quickly attached to the coaxial cable member without additional fasteners or tool members.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a coaxial cable comprising a coaxial cable member including a central conductor and an outer conductor, a pipe engaged onto the coaxial cable member and including an outer thread formed thereon, a conduit engaged onto the coaxial cable member and contacted with the pipe, and including at least one tooth engaged onto the coaxial cable member, for securing the conduit onto the coaxial cable member, the outer conductor of the coaxial cable member being engageable onto the pipe, a tubular housing including an inner thread formed therein to thread with the outer thread of the pipe, and including a peripheral swelling extended therein to engage with the outer conductor of the coaxial cable member, and to retain the outer conductor of the coaxial cable member between the peripheral swelling of the tubular housing and the pipe, the tubular housing including an outer thread formed thereon, a head engaged onto the central conductor of the coaxial cable member, and including a tip extended therefrom, an insulating sleeve a passage formed therein to receive the head, and received in the tubular housing, and a ferrule including a chamber formed therein to receive the coaxial cable member and the pipe and the conduit, and including an inner thread formed therein to thread with the outer thread of the tubular housing, and to secure the tubular housing and the pipe and the conduit to the coaxial cable member. The ferrule includes an actuating member provided therein to engage with the conduit and to force the tooth of the conduit onto the coaxial cable member, without additional fasteners or tools.
The conduit includes at least one groove formed therein to define at least one blade thereon, and to increase a resilience of the conduit, and to allow the tooth of the conduit to be resiliently clamped onto the coaxial cable member.
The pipe includes an inclined surface formed therein to engage with the outer conductor of the coaxial cable member. The tubular housing includes an inclined surface formed in the peripheral swelling thereof, to engage with the inclined surface of the pipe, and to retain the outer conductor of the coaxial cable member between the inclined surfaces of the tubular housing and the pipe.
The conduit includes an inclined surface formed therein, the actuating member of the ferrule is an inclined surface to engage with the inclined surface of the conduit, and to force the tooth of the conduit onto the coaxial cable member.
The head includes a bore formed therein to receive the central conductor of the coaxial cable member, and includes at least one slot formed therein to increase a resilience of the head.
A tubular connector and a barrel may further be provided, and the barrel may be engaged through the connector and secured to the tubular housing, to rotatably attach the connector to the tubular housing.
The tubular connector includes a peripheral rib extended therein, and the barrel includes a peripheral flange extended outwardly therefrom, to engage with the peripheral rib of the connector, and to rotatably couple the connector to the tubular housing.
The barrel includes a peripheral rib extended therein to engage with the sleeve, and to retain the sleeve within the barrel. The sleeve includes a peripheral flange extended therein to engage with the head, and to retain the head within the sleeve.
Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.